The Dark Knight Returns
by P.J. Lowry
Summary: Months after Bane's occupation ends, the hero that the city needs returns to defend Gotham City.
1. Chapter 1

**SPOILERS: DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN 'THE DARK KNIGHT RISES'**

.

.

.

.

.

.

It had only been half a year since the siege by Bane had ended. After their big victory, the police used their momentum and returned every criminal back to prison and cleaned up the streets with the help of the people of Gotham. Commissioner Gordon used the help from the military to clean up the streets as the President had declared Marshall Law in the city and didn't lift the declaration until the city was back to form to their liking.

When Gordon and the Cops finally had everything back under control, they realized there was a swelling in their numbers. Cops from all over the nation has volunteered to transfer to Gotham to make sure they had the proper ranks to keep the peace until they could recruit their own numbers back. The country had come to the city's aid and not let them down. Bane's plan to destroy the city's will had failed, Gotham had came together better than it ever had before and was united and grateful for their second chance given to them by the Batman.

While the criminals of Gotham that were convicted by the Dent Act tried to have convictions overturned, Gordon and the DA's office countered by stated that a crazy man trying to destroy a city reading a letter that he claimed came from Gordon is hearsay. There was no evidence to verify the letter was legit, and since it was never found after Bane read it. In the absence of actual evidence, all of the convictions under the Dent act were upheld, pending appeal of course.

Things had been peaceful in the city as even the criminals didn't feel like doing anything for a while. That didn't last for long and eventually some crews started to go back to work, trying to take advantage of Gotham's recovery to make a few quick scores. They had assumed it would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. They thought wrong.

While trying to get away with their loot from a few jewellery stores they just hit, there was a rumbling they never expected to hear. The driver of the car looked in his mirror and couldn't believe what he was seeing. The black tumbler had returned and was right on their tail. The driver was so shocked by the sight of it, he forgot to avoid his chaser and was knocked off the road thanks to a slight bumping from behind. Two goons from the car came out and pointed their guns at the tumbler. They were convinced it was just a cop or some guy trying to intimidate them by taking the fancy crime fighting car for a joyride.

"Light him up the moment it opens." The boss said to his men as he stepped out of the curbed car.

When the tumbler opened the guys didn't fire: the car was empty. One of the goons walked over. "It was on auto-pilot?"

"Then who's controlling it?" The boss asked. Before he could say anything else, the answer came from behind as a dark cloak came out of nowhere and picked up him up off the ground and into the darkness. The two goons watched their boss disappear and for the first time in almost a year, they were genuinely scared. The thought that he was actually back had slowly crept into their minds. When they turned around their worst nightmare had come back and was lunging to attack them: the Dark Knight had returned.

When Commissioner Jim Gordon arrived, he found a scene that was all too familiar to both him and his officers. The crooks were all tied up and nicely wrapped. The only think missing was a bow. The site looked to familiar but he didn't want to tease himself and think that his friend had returned. But the evidence was all there, and confirmation came from the crooks themselves. When being questioned they had all confirmed it was the Batman that had stopped them from getting away. Jim listened to them from behind the mirror as they described the tumbler and the way the Dark Knight had taken them one at a time. It was déjà vu for Gordon as he's heard this story many times before. It seemed almost too good to be true.

Gordon sat in his office for a few hours, drinking some scotch and doing some paper work. He wanted it to be true. He wanted a chance to speak with Bruce and let him know how much he appreciated everything he did for him and the city. Gordon had done his part to honour the second chance in life Bruce had given him and the city. He went back to Barbara and mended things up and brought his family home and did his best to not only be the city's finest commissioner but the best Dad he could be… juggling both jobs responsibly.

After sitting at his desk trying to drink up the courage to try, Gordon finally went to the roof. It was raining outside but he didn't care. He stood there for a few moments, looking at the light before finally turning it back on. The Bat logo shone in the night for the first time in a very long time. Gordon stood there in the rain and waited and as the time passed he started to dread that he had fooled himself. Bruce wasn't coming back and he would have to accept it. He was just about to reach for the light to turn it off when he heard something. A voice called out to confirm his instincts.

"Hello Jim."

Gordon turned around and there before him for the first time since end of Bane's occupation was the Batman. Jim couldn't believe what he was seeing and he let out a huge sigh. "You have no idea how great it is to see you again."

"I'm afraid this isn't the reunion you think it is." Batman replied as he walked closer.

Gordon could tell what he was referring to. This Batman was a little more slender, an inch shorter but seemed a little more toned than the previous Dark Knight. "Then Bruce really is gone." Jim said as he began to mourn the loss of a true hero all over again.

"Bruce knew that the Batman had to be more to the city than just a man." Batman replied. "The Batman had to be a symbol that could live beyond one lifetime. Mr. Wayne handpicked me himself to take over and bring back the city its Dark Knight."

Jim managed to grin a little. "If Bruce trusted you to take over that's good enough for me."

"If Bruce trusted you enough to reveal who he was, then I can too." The Batman walked closer to Jim and removed his cowl to reveal himself to the commissioner.

Jim face lit up when he finally realized who it was. "John Blake?"

"Hello Sir," John answered out of habit. "The last time we spoke, I did tell you there was something important that I had to take care of."

"I had no idea." Jim said as he shook John's hand.

"He would never leave this city unprotected." John said as he smiled. "It took me a while to get used to everything, train for the position but I think I'm up for the task."

"I have to admit." Jim responded. "I was pretty impressed by your work tonight. I actually thought the original had returned."

"Thanks for the compliment." John said with a smile. Suddenly there was a ruckus coming from the stairs as other officers were coming up the stairs to see who had turned the light on. John responded by putting the cowl back on and becoming the Dark Knight again.

Several officers came to the roof with guns out trying to make sure that someone hadn't turned the light on as a prank. When the made it to the roof, the sight of Jim and the Batman standing sit by side was met with shock and disbelief. Jim raised his hands and motioned to the officers to lower their guns. "He's all right, this isn't a prank."

Batman turned to Gordon, "I'll be back when I get more information on what we're looking for. You know how to get a hold of me."

"That I do." Jim said as he watched the Batman jump off the roof and disappear into the night.

One of the officers, a lady in uniform looked back at the commissioner, "Is it really him?"

"It is." Jim answered. "The Dark Knight has returned."


	2. Chapter 2

Life hadn't been better for Alfred Pennyworth. It had been only a short time since he spotted Master Bruce and Ms. Kyle and he had never been more relieved. Bruce had finally retired as a crime-fighter and moved on to the finer things in life such as women and fine wine. Alfred remembers going to bed that night after seeing them in the restaurant and he had never slept so well in decades. This feeling of bliss lasted for a few months, until one night when he was in a pub having a pint while watching a game on the tube. On another television next to the one showing the football game was a new report of news out of Gotham City: the Batman was back.

Alfred was confused and for a moment he was hoping this was some kind of prank. But the evidence was there on the television for him to see: the tumbler roaring through the streets of Gotham, capturing jewel thieves and the police using the light to speak with the Dark Knight again. Alfred couldn't believe what he was seeing; it was his worst nightmare all over again. It was apparent to the former butler that Bruce was incapable of staying away and had returned to Gotham to be the Batman once again.

It was more than the old man could handle. He returned home and packed a bag before taking a cab to the airport. Once at the airline counter, he booked the next available seat to Gotham City. The flight back to the United States and to Gotham was a long flight, and it gave Alfred all the time he needed to lecture Master Bruce on why he was risking too much to come back a third time. His last stint as the Batman nearly cost him his life and he didn't need to prove anything more to the people of Gotham. His time was up and he was supposed to retire, live the good life and let the young take over from here. He didn't listen to him, at least not for long. Alfred was intent on dragging Master Bruce back into retirement, kicking and screaming if necessary.

Once on the ground in Gotham, Alfred went to baggage to claim his luggage and then walked out to the first cab waiting. "Wayne Manor." He called as he tossed a hundred dollar bill on the front seat.

"No problem, mister." The cabbie said as he pulled out in a hurry. A few minutes after they were on the road the cabbie called back to Alfred. "You are aware that the Wayne family don't live there anymore. It's an orphanage now."

"I am very aware of that." Alfred answered, not willing to relive his last days in the city.

"You here to adopt a kid?" the cabbie asked.

"Not exactly." The butler answered. "But I do have some old business to take care of."

"Good luck with that." The cabbie called back and that was the last thing the two of them exchanged until they reached the Manor.

Once at the Manor, Alfred walked up to the door and knocked a few times before someone finally answered. "I'm not sure if you know me but…"

"Of course I know who you are." The person said as he extended a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Pennyworth."

The person not only knew who Alfred was but everyone did as he was given a small tour of the Manor as it was today. There were a lot of kids running around, and Alfred has a feeling that the Wayne family would have been proud of all the good work their home was doing for the Gotham's young runaways. Much to Alfred's surprise a few rooms in the manor were kept the same to honour the Wayne family, especially one room that still had the family piano.

Alfred stared at the old piano and hen turned to the worker who had been showing him around. "This is all so emotional for me. Would you mind giving a moment of privacy?"

"Of course Mr. Pennyworth." The worker answered. "If you need anything…"

"I'll be all right, thank you." Alfred answered as he watched the worker stroll down the hallway and disappear. A few moments later, Alfred stepped over the velvet line that was blocking off the room and strolled in. He walked up to the baby grand piano and tapped the same three keys he always hit and waited.

Moments later the door began to open and Alfred took a deep breathe before strolling into the darkness and watched as the door closed behind him. Alfred took his luggage with him so if the worker returned then he would just assume Alfred had left and think nothing more of it. As the elevator travelled into the subsection of the manor and towards the lair of the Batman, he again rehearsed in his head for a final time what he wanted to say to Master Bruce to point out how insane it was for him to walk back into the action in his condition.

He set his luggage down just after he got off the life and strolled into the cave without any regard for what could be ahead of him. The butler was fully confident that he would be all right and marched right in and thankfully the Batman was home and he was able to give the young man a piece of his mind. Batman was actually walking towards the tumbler when the old man finally spoke. "You're not going anywhere!"

The man in the armoured suit stopped where he was and turned around to face Alfred. "Excuse me?" He said his character growl.

"Don't you give me that voice," Alfred started as he stormed onto the platform to look the Dark Knight in the eyes. "I've been here since the very beginning and I have every right to know whenever you planned to come back her and play savoir to the people of Gotham."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Batman then asked.

"What am I talking about?" Alfred said as he became more incensed with every awkward answer. "I'm talking about seeing you in that café with your lady friend a few months ago. I was sure that you have finally given up this entire charade. You know how much that meant to me, and I thought for your sake and for mine that you were no longer going to put your life on the line!"

Batman paused for a moment, and then he finally realized what was going on. "Is Bruce alive?"

The moment the Batman asked this question Alfred finally realized what was going on: the man in the suit was not Master Bruce. It was someone else who had taken up the mantle of the Batman and carried on its legacy without its creator. Alfred took a step back. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

"Alfred, stop!" a voice called out from behind. Alfred turned around and it was Lucius Fox. He had been doing some minor repairs on one of the machines in the cave when Alfred has stormed in.

"Lucius, you're behind what's going on here?" Alfred snapped as he couldn't believe that Fox would just let someone else take over Bruce's role as the city's defender.

"Not exactly." Fox said with a sly grin. "This man was hand picked by Bruce himself."

"Who was?" When Alfred turned around to face the Batman, he had already removed his helmet to reveal himself to the former butler of the manor. The old man recognized the young detective quickly and it all made sense. He remembered Bruce telling him so long ago that the symbol has to be more than just about a man, and it was Master Bruce's way of telling him that when it was his turn to step down someone else was going to have to step in and take over. It turns out Detective John Blake was that man, Gotham's new Dark Knight.

"I'm very sorry." John said as he put the helmet down on the desk beside him. "It had been a while since I last saw you. I didn't recognize you."

"That's all right." Alfred said as he let out a sigh. His worst fears had been dispelled: Master Bruce was very much retired and no longer fighting crime with his bare hands. "The suit looks good on you Detective Blake."

"It's just John now." The young man replied as he didn't want to change the subject. "How long have you known that Bruce is still alive?"

"For a few months now." Alfred answered. "You didn't know?" the old man said as he made a gesture towards Lucius.

"I had my suspicions." Fox replied with a grin. "But it's nice to have them confirmed."

"How did he look when you saw him at the café?" John asked.

"He looked well and very happy with his retirement." Alfred said as he was not able to accept that his wishes had been respected.

John let out a deep sigh. "Good to hear. If anyone ever deserved to ride off into the sunset, it was Bruce."

"I hate to interrupt." Fox said as he clearly was. "But the Bat signal has been up in the sky for over fifteen minutes now. I'm sure Gordon has something important that requires someone's attention."

"Right." John said as he walked back to the desk and picked up his helmet. He strolled over to the tumbler and hopped right in. After putting his helmet back, he looked back at both of the older men looking at him. "Thanks for the repairs."

"Anytime, John." Fox replied.

As both men watched the Tumbler roar out of the cave and make its way towards Gotham, Alfred let out a sigh of his own. "I had really thought Bruce had come back to put his life on the line again."

"He no longer has to." Fox retorted with a grin. "We got him covered."

"Gotham will always have its Batman." Alfred said with a smile of his own and a tear in his eye. "I'm just glad the Wayne family is finished making sacrifices for the city."

"They've done their bit." Fox concurred. "Now it's someone else's turn."


	3. Chapter 3

The Batman left Aflred and Lucius in the cave and used the Tumbler to get back into Gotham. Once he was within a few blocks of the police station, he parked the car, roped to one of the roof tops and jumped a few buildings to get to where Gordon and the light were located. Jim was standing on the roof, waiting for the Batman to arrive and finally his patience paid off. As the Dark Knight arrived, Jim responded by turning off the light. There were a few other officers on the roof with him, holding some paperwork.

"What seems to be the problem." Batman asked, trying to be a professional and brooding as possible.

The Commissioner slowly walked up to give him the news. "We have a situation going on at Arkham."

"Arkham?" Batman repeated, slightly confused. "I thought that place was closed down several years ago when everyone was moved everyone to Blackgate prison."

Gordon paused for a moment and took a deep breath. For a moment Jim had actually forgotten that he was dealing with a new Batman. He walked over to the other officers and took the paperwork from them. "We need a moment alone." Based on the look on the commish's face, the two officers got the hint, this was not a request.

"Yes Sir." one replied as they both left the rooftop.

Gordon waited for the door to close. "The information I am about to give you is something that only myself, the mayor and your predecessor ever knew about. The staff still working at Arkham are our best men, guarding only one prisoner."

"Who's still there?" Batman asked. This was obviously a secret Bruce left out when leaving him the keys to the cave.

"We thought it was best to not even risk moving him to Blackgate." Gordon explained. "We doubled the guards in that wing, and for the better part of eight years… he's been the sole occupant of Arkham. Locked away in his very own jail, kind of like a permanent solitary confinement. Everything was fine until last week. He started making threats and that making everyone nervous."

"Who's in there?" Batman asked again, his patience slipping.

Jim paused for a moment and finally spoke. "It's the Joker."

"My gaud." Batman cursed as he finally realized what was going on. "The people of Gotham have no idea this madman is still in the city?"

"It was best to keep his location a secret, so that no one would try to break him out." Gordon answered.

"So that's why Bane never freed the Joker during his occupation." Batman said, "He wasn't at Blackgate. The guards at Arkham managed to keep him there all that time?"

"When we turned Arkham a one man jail, Batman and I prepped that place for any possible situation that could arise. That place had its own food supply as well so that the guards could bunker in if someone tried to siege the building. In the event that someone tried to break the Joker out, the national guard would be dispatched to surround the building and end the threat." Gordon could tell by the look on Batman's face what he was going to ask next. "We never risked contacting Arkham during the occupation out of fear Bane would learn the Joker was still there and try to break him out."

"I understand." Batman said as he thought back to those dark months. "What's the Joker up to now?"

"Out of the blue he started talking to us." Gordon said. "He's threatened to blow up a school unless we meet his demands."

"Is the threat credible?" Batman asked.

"We're not sure." Gordon said as his frustration was evident. "It's going to take a few days to search every school to make sure they're clear."

"Well, thank goodness it's Friday." Batman replied. "Let's give the kids a three day weekend. Have the mayor make something up and that should be enough time to search every school in the city."

"Maybe he could make it national Batman Day." Gordon joked with a grin.

"Doesn't matter." Batman replied. "As long as it buys us some time, we'll be able to determine if the Joker is for real or…"

"Of if he's blowing smoke up our asses." Gordon finished. "Chances are that's what he's doing, but while we search the schools, we should consider giving into his demands."

"Why would we do that?" Batman asked.

"I realize we don't want to start a pattern." Gordon admitted, "But at the moment his demands are not that unreasonable."

"For now." Batman cautioned.

"So you don't think we should give him what he wants?" Gordon asked.

"What's he asking for?" Batman replied with a question of his own.

"To speak with you." Gordon answered. "He also wants a large pizza with red peppers, anchovies and feta cheese."

Batman pondered the request. "Not yet. There's no need to budge an inch for that madman unless we have good reason too. If we find something in one of the schools, then we'll consider it. There's no need to inflate his ego unless we absolutely have to."

"In the meantime, we'll search every school." Gordon answered.

"I'll see if there is something I can do to speed things up on my end." Batman offered. He was hoping Lucius might have some device that might help find the bomb faster than Gordon and his men could.

"I'll also contact the mayor to make sure he declares this coming Monday a holiday." Gordon replied. "What happens if we find something?"

"Then I'll deliver the pizza myself."


	4. Chapter 4

The halls of Arkham were quiet but the history of the Asylum still haunted the place. John had only visited Arkham once before its alleged shutdown when he was a beat cop. He and some officers had taken a tour of the facility when they thought it was no longer in service, to remind officers of how crazy the criminals can get. He had no idea the Joker was still there, rotting away in his cell with dozens of armed guards to keep him company. The Joker was rarely allowed visitors as only his lawyers were aware of where he still was. John was there under a different disguise: he was the Batman.

Ever since the Batman returns to Gotham, the joker has been dying to get reacquainted with the Dark Knight. As John walked into the hallway leading to where the Joker was being held, Jim Gordon came out to greet him. "Nice day to speak to a madman, eh?" he said with a soft smile and a chuckle.

Naturally John wanted to chuckle with him, considering how sunny it was outside, but he preferred to remain in character since the guards were watching. "We'll keep this as short as possible. We don't want to set a standard here that we'll cave in every time he makes a threat."

"We need to speak in private before you go in." Gordon said as he motioned to a door to another room. "If you don't mind, of course."

"Of course not." The guards watched as the Dark Knight and Gordon walked into what was one of the executive offices that the staff used to use when there was a full staff still working at the facility. "Is everything all right, Jim?"

"Yes, it's fine." Jim said as he took a seat. "I just thought you'd like to know what was said between the Joker and the Batman the last time they talked."

"Wasn't that on the ledge, when Bruce prevented those boats from blowing up" John asked.

"No, that was the time before." Jim answered. "There was another conversation I think you should be aware of if you want to give a convincing performance."

"When did this conversation take place?" John asked.

"It was when Arkham was shut down." Jim answered.

"But I thought the Batman was still a wanted man at the time." John replied as he thought about the timeline. "You let Batman into Arkham to visit the Joker while he was still wanted by every agency in the city?"

"It was a one time thing. I had my best officers here with him, all who knew the truth about Harvey." Jim said as he took a seat and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't been getting much sleep since the Joker starting make threats. "I just wanted to make sure the Joker didn't try to escape when we were transferring the other prisoners. Only six people, not including the Joker knew that he was here."

John thought about it for a moment. "He was a decoy."

"Yes." Jim confirmed.

"You snuck all the prisoners out when the Joker was distracted with Batman."

"It was a good plan but I can't take credit for it." Jim answered. "We later discovered when inspecting cells after moving everyone out that the Joker did have a plan to spring out when we attempted to move him. Using the Batman was the perfect distraction. We told him two days before and it was all he could talk about, he was consumed about it."

"How did he respond when he found out?" John asked.

"Not well." Jim answered. "After all the other prisoners were transferred out, we put the Joker in solitary confinement while building his new parmanent cell. This cell is one of a kind and he stays there 24/7. It's all surrounded in glass so he can't hide anything and all visitors talk to him through the glass so zero privacy while in our care. Kind of like the cage Hannibal Lecter was being kept in but much more secure and closed off. We don't even let him out to get fresh air."

"How is that legal?"

"After what happened to Gotham General and the two ferries, President Obama declared the Joker an enemy combatant." Jim answered. "We have no idea who this man is so based on that we have no evidence if he's even an American citizen."

"That makes sense." John said as he thought about it. "that makes eveyrthing you're doing here perfectly legal. How did the funny man take the news?"

"He was flattered at first, but as the years wore on he has become more and more bitter." Jim answered. "He became enraged when he learned about what Bane did to Gotham while he was locked away here and nicely kept away. The idea of everyone in Blackwater being let out to play while he rotted here upset him a great deal."

"I don't understand." John said as he thought about it. "From what I knew of the Joker, he hated people who tried to enact a plan. He was for chaos and what Bane did here was organized and anything but chaos. I have no doubt the Joker would have been against Bane had he been free during that time."

"I think so too." Jim concurred. "We considered releasing the Joker into Bane's occupied Gotham knowing that he would be a thorn in Bane's backside. Yet the idea of having to catch him again when it was all over without the Batman who was missing at the time convinced us it was not the right way to go."

"I think you guys made the right call." John agreed. "Letting the Joker out was a gamble. He could have joined Bane just to piss you off for locking him up. It could have backfired and just been an act of throwing gasoline onto an already raging fire."

"I know." Jim said as he sat back and sighed. "We couldn't risk it."

"So what was said between Batman and the Joker when Arkham was closed down, allegedly." John asked.

"The Joker wanted a moment to apologize." Jim answered. "It didn't last that long, and the Batman left without responding, which meant he didn't accept the Joker's attempt to make amends."

"Amends for what?" John asked.

"For killing Rachel Dawe." Jim answered.

Knowing who Batman was, the death of Rachel Dawe meant something much deeper to John who was aware that Bruce Wayne was once romantic with the former assistant DA. "That's why the Joker was upset after Bane's occupation. He thought the Batman had died and he wouldn't get another chance to apologize again."

"Could it really be that simple?" Jim asked.

"Only one way to find out." John replied as he got back into character. "Let's go speak to the Joker."


	5. Chapter 5

Orange was never his colour. He hated it. Yet it was the color of choice when you're a prisoner of the state. They are fully aware of how much people hate that colour as it was another addition to your punishment, to be a fashion faux pas for the rest of your life. The Joker was aware of how ugly it was but refused to let his captors know how much it angered him and instead celebrated the colour as if it were the best of all time. He would refer to himself as something that looked good in orange, like a pumpkin or an orange. He knew his comparisons to all things orange upset the guards but they were too good at their job to reveal how they felt to their one and only prisoner.

Life in his custom made cell was the same as it always was everyday in Arkham but there was something different in the air that day. The guards surrounding his cell knew it as well. The cell that housed the Joker was in the middle of what used to be the gymnasium of Arkham Asylum. In the middle of this large room was now a glass cell, a perfect circle of glass that was fifteen feet in diameter. Inside that cylinder of glass was a small bed, a sink and toilet and even a small desk for him to sit at and do work should he be in the mood to read or study something. Surrounding that cylinder was another glass cylinder, that one was twenty feet in diameter. Both of them had glass that was a foot think and capable of taking a rocket propelled grenade and barely show a scratch. Between the two cells was a sliding mechanism which the guards used to deliver food, mail and anything else the joker would ask for. Whenever it was time to slide something through, the Joker was asked to sit as his desk and not move until the item was securely on the other side. The precautions the guards took were obscene, not even camp X-ray had this much paranoia. The Joker understood why they went to such measures. He was the most dangerous criminal they had ever encountered and they didn't want him to ever get out and see the light of day again.

He was still able to speak to a lawyer, one of the few civil rights he was allowed to have while the rest of his rights were tossed away after being declared an enemy combatant. He was even allowed to paint in his cell as long as the items he asked for wouldn't be used to create any means of escape. The Joker instead used the paints to torment his guards by painting some gruesome art that only other madmen would be proud of. Due to federal murderbelia laws, the Joker wasn't allowed to put his work up for sale on ebay, so the remaining space of the gymnasium was filled with dozens of paintings that he had created when in his lonely cell for the past several years.

One of the guards tapped on the otter glass. "You have a visitor. Stay at your desk while we slide through your lunch."

The Joker didn't like having visitors anymore. Without his makeup and combined with his hideous orange jumpsuit, he wasn't exactly looking his best to receive guests. Moments later there was the slamming sound of his lunch being pushed through the sliding door from one cylinder to another. Once the outer cylinder was secure, the guard called out, letting him know it was all right to get up from his desk and fetch what was in the tray. When the Joker walked up to the sliding tray, he looked in and was pleasantly surprised. It was a slab from a local pizzeria, topped with anchovies, red peppers and feta cheese. He looked at the box and back at the guards surrounding the cell. "Dominos? Seriously? Couldn't spring for Pappa John's?"

"They're not exactly PC these days." Jim Gordon said as he strolled out.

"I wouldn't know, Comm-mmissioner." The Joker hissed back at Gordon. "I don't exactly get to watch much television down here."

"I made sure you got some television while you're here." Jim said as he pointed to the small TV which was seated just outside the glass cylinder.

"It only has one channel." The Joker snapped back. "Vision Television, and let me tell you that is what I call cruel and unusual punishment. I guess my rights go straight out the window every time the 700 Club comes on."

"The President was re-elected." Jim informed his prisoner with a smile. "So any chance of getting your status being repealed is dead in the water for at least the next four years."

The Joker opened the pizza box and took a big whiff. "I see you found my bomb."

"Yes." Gordon confirmed. "In a highschool that when full has over two thousand students!"

The Joker let out a soft chuckle. "Don't worry, Comm-mmissioner. It was set to go off at 8pm on Sunday night. I may be a madman but I'm all about chaos, not murder."

"What kind of chaos would blowing up an empty school create?" a voice growled from behind.

The Joker turned around and grinned from ear to ear with delight. The Batman had arrived to visit him. "Just imagine two thousand displaced students with no where to go and nothing to do. Even just a little chaos is better than none."

"Your lawyer has been arrested." Gordon said as he circled the cell. "We'll make sure you don't get anymore messages out to your helpers."

"Well that won't make a lick of difference." The Joker said as he watched the Batman as closely as he could through the two panes of glass. "I thought so."

"What is it?" Batman asked, trying to figure out what might be going through that insanely methodical mind of his.

"It's not him." The Joker said as he let out a soft giggle. "You're a newbie."

"You asked for the Batman, and you've got him." Gordon called out, unsure of how the Joker managed to put it all together.

"Don't worry Comm-mmissioner." The Joker called back as he started to pace around the cylinder like a caged animal that badly wanted to spring out and attack. "I wanted to see for myself if this Dark Knight was the real deal and not some phony imposter. Turns out the new edition seems legit but is missing that little something his predecessor had. Maybe it's for the best, boy wonder. I wouldn't really like it if my protégé managed to do what I couldn't and defeat the real Batman."

"Your protégé?" Batman said as he walked closer to the glass. "I'm guessing that's who put the bomb in that school? You have someone outside getting ready to create new chaos for Gotham?"

"Oh yes." The Joker growled as he casually slid back into the chair that was seated beside his desk. "This protégé has been studying up and working to be the best Joker possible for close to four years now. I'm not sure how long you've been training sport but I doubt you've shown close to the same dedication she has shown to my cause?"

"She?" Gordon called back.

"Yes, my protégé is a she." The Joker confirmed. "Unlike you people, I at least practice a little equal opportunity in my outfit."

"We'll cut off all communication you have with her." Batman said. Finding out how the Joker was getting word out to her would be hard, but he was confident he and Jim could figure it out together.

"Too late, sport." The Joker said as he let out another playful giggle. "She's already been given her marching orders. That bomb in the school was just the beginning. By the time she's finished with you, Gotham will be ripe for the picking. Only then while I return to finish what I started. Nothing will stop her."

"I will." Batman said, trying to air as much confidence as possible.

"I'd like to see you try, noob." Joker said as he grabbed a slice of his pizza and began to relish the taste of minimal success. "If she has half the potential I think she has, you're in for another wild ride."

"We'll see about that." Gordon called out.

"Oh you'll see." The Joker said as he began to laugh uncontrollably. "Her name is Harley Quinn! Do remember that when chaos rains down on Gotham once again! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"


	6. Chapter 6

After his meeting with the Joker at Arkham, John Blake did a few rounds of the city before returning to the cave to collect his thoughts and seek some advice. Thankfully, when he returned Alfred was still there, however upon close inspection the cave looked a lot better then how he left it. The place looked… cleaner. "Old habits die hard?" John asked as he hopped out of the tumbler.

"I'm afraid so." Alfred replied as he never looked up. The former butler was inspecting pieces of the spare bat-suits to make sure none of the amour was chipped or damaged. "What dare I ask is going on in Gotham tonight?"

"I spoke with the Joker." John replied.

"Dear lord." Alfred said as he suddenly became dizzy. Just the though of that madman seemed to flood him with so many painful memories.

John could tell the butler had become weak at the knees and rushed over to catch him and carry him over to the chair in front of the main computer. "Take it easy, Alfred. He's still locked up at Arkham."

"Something's still wrong if you even had to share even a single word with him." Alfred replied.

"He has someone on the outside doing things for him. He called her his protégé." John said as he removed his helmet and placed it on the table.

"Even someone trained by that loony is bound to be a handful." Alfred said as he thought about it. "How did he manage to train her? Hasn't be been locked up all this time?"

"That's what we need to figure out." John replied as he paced around the platform trying to think about it.

"We?" Alfred said as he turned the chair around to face the new Batman.

"Well, you're here." John said as he raised his hands. "Any help I could get to figure what's going on here would be greatly appreciated."

Alfred took a deep breathe. "Master Bruce was a stubborn man, but even he knew when to follow my advice. If you do the same I will do what I can to be of assistance."

"Thanks Al." John replied.

"Alfred will suffice." The butler said as he swiveled back to face the main computer. "We can use the computer to hack into the city records, see who was staying at Arkham with the Joker prior to being transferred to Blackgate."

"Do you really think it was an inmate that the Joker took on as his protégé?" John asked.

"Well, if nothing pops we'll have to look check staff records." Alfred said as he kept his eyes on the screen. "That will be a little more difficult to get access to."

"It's a good thing we have someone in the police force that will help us out with that." Blake said as he started to remove his armor.

"It's a shame the Joker wasn't nice enough to give us a name." Alfred sarcastically said to himself.

"Actually, he did." John called back. "Said her name was Harley Quinn and that she'd been studying under him for at least four years."

"I doubt that's her real name." Alfred replied. "At least we have a timeline to work with."

"You keep working on that." John said as he changed into something more casual. "I'm going to get some sleep and then meet with Lucius Fox in the morning."

"Not a problem." Alfred called back. "I'll be all right. What are you going to be seeing Lucius about?"

"He wants me to go over some ideas for expanding Batman's arsenal." John replied.

"No guns, John." Alfred called out.

"I know." John said as he walked towards the elevator back to the manor. "But right now I need all the help I can get."

After sleeping for a few hours, John took the elevator back to the manor and slipped down to the garage where his motorcycle was stored for safe keeping. It only took him thirty minutes to zip back into Gotham and find a decent parking space before casually walking into the office towers of Wayne Enterprises.

Lucius had given John his own pass for for the building, which listed him as a consultant for Fox's special division. This meant he had no problems getting through security and access to Fox's office whenever he wanted. As he walked out of the elevator, the secretary at the desk pointed to the door. "Go on in, Mr. Blake."

As John walked through the door he seemed a little confused. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything Mr. Fox."

"No, I was eager to end that particular meeting anyway." Lucius said as he extended a hand. "Whenever you swipe your card downstairs, I'm alerted on my cell phone. It's my way of making sure you have my undivided attention whenever you come here seeking my help."

"Much appreciated." John said as he shook Mr. Fox's hand. "I could use a little of that help right now."

"How so, Mr. Blake?" Fox asked.

It took a few minutes but John took the time to fill him in on what had happened with the Joker. How he was still at Arkham all this time and that he was not making noise and threatening to blow up schools. After going through everything that was said when he went to visit him at Arkham, Blake felt a little overwhelmed. "I've only been on this job for a little over half a year. Even with the trainers you recommended, I still feel like I'm in over my head with this protégé that the Joker is talking about."

"The Joker has a habit of being a bit of a drama queen." Fox said as he walked up to the window and stared out while thinking about what he had just heard. "But I still think it's time to expand how the Batman functions."

"What did you have in mind?" Blake asked.

"Follow me." Fox answered as he walked over to his bookshelf. He tilted one of the books and the entire shelf moved aside to reveal a gigantic room filled with weapons and gadgets that were at the Batman's complete disposal. John followed Fox into what could only be described as the Bat arsenal, but something finally dawned on him. "Is there where Bane got all his weapons to occupy Gotham?"

"It was." Fox admitted. "But after that incident, I took measures to make sure this place is secure and that items not being used were shipped to a different location. Not all our eggs are in one basket anymore."

"Fair enough." John replied as he kept following.

"Right here is something that Bruce ordered but never got the chance to use." Fox said as he walked over to an area where he recognized pieces of the Bat suit. "This was going to be his new utility belt."

"Whoa." John said as he took a look at the advanced belt. "There has to be at least fifty items attached to that belt. I has to weigh at least twenty pounds!"

"At least." Fox agreed. "But I assure you with an expanded arsenal at your disposal… these tools could save your life so many times you won't mind the extra weight."

"What's that thing attached to the left hand side?" John asked as he pointed at what looked like a gun.

"That's the best part." Fox said as he took the gun like object and pointed it at the ceiling. It fired like a gun but instead of a bullet, a long grappling hook sprayed out and tightly attached to the ceiling. "It's a more advanced grappling system. With a range of just over two hundred feet, you could propel from building to building like Spider-Man if you wanted to."

"That could save a lot of time if I need to climb to a roof-top." John replied.

"That's what Bruce thought when he suggested it." Fox admitted. "None of these tools are lethal. For example, in this pocket are exploding gas bombs. Just toss one onto the floor and it will create enough gas to make a quick exit amidst the confusion."

"What about this one." John asked as he pointed to what looked like a spray can.

"That's shark repellant." Fox casually answered.

"Really?" John asked with a shocked look on his face. He tried to imagine what kind of incident would call for Bruce to ask for such an item.

"No, not really." Fox said as he couldn't help but laugh. "It's liquid nitrogen. You can use it whenever you need to quickly bust through something like locks or handcuffs."

"You really thought of almost anything." John said as he kept inspecting the belt.

"I'll deliver to the manor myself later tonight." Fox replied. "Is Alfred still down there?"

"He is." John answered. "Right now he's searching through prison records to try to find this Harley Quinn."

"He's a good man." Fox said as he sighed. "He'll be helpful for as long as he's here."

"I know." John agreed as he stood up. "I've got to meet someone for lunch. I'll test out this new stuff tonight when I go on patrol."

"Good luck, Mr. Blake." Fox said as he shook the young man's hand again.

"Thanks for all your help." Blake said as he made his way back to the elevator and back up to his motorcycle.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been a few weeks since she had last communicated with the Joker, but her instructions were quite clear. The reemergence of the Batman had been the sign they were looking for and now things were set in motion. It was finally her time to rise and prove to herself to her psychotic mentor. She was ready to prove to the Joker that she was worthy of all the attention he had been giving her the past four years. He had given her the green light through their usual channel of communication but until the plan was completed, there were to be no more messages out of fear that the person who was helping them swap notes would be discovered. After placing the bomb inside that high school in downtown Gotham, she had no doubt that Jim Gordon and the Batman were going to look through everything to find out who was leaking information to her. She was confident that not even the Batman would be able to find out but part of her was thinking that it might not be a bad idea to tie off loose ends. While she considered it for a moment, there was no need to panic until the Commish and Bats gave a reason to. For now she was going to keep her attention on her marching orders. The Joker never gave her a real plan; that was something the clown was against. People with plans was something that the Joker despised, something that he re-enforced with her whenever exchanging notes with his protégé. All the Joker did was make suggestions, ideas and he then gave her the creative control to add her own personal touches to them with the idea that she would come up with her own blueprint for chaos. Actions so bit and so chaotic that even the big man in Arkham would have to tip his cap to the brilliance his personal protégé.

She was in the bathroom, putting on some makeup. She was eager to make an impression and nothing did that more than appearance. Criminals ran in fear at the sight of the Batman, but just as many people quaked in fear whenever the Joker and his men hit one bank after another during their first string of robberies. She was ready to re-enact her mentor's rise to fame, retracing his footsteps just to make sure everyone was aware of who was in town to raise a little hell. She was wearing a skin tight red and black leotard that made her look like someone that jumped out a deck of cards. Black gloves to hide her finger prints as well as a Jester's hat to convey homage to the Joker himself. She wore white paint all over her face, with black lipstick and a dark shadow around her eyes that were similar to the darkness the Joker himself had around his own. She even put on contacts to hide her pale blue eyes from those who might look into them. Now they were as black as her villainous heart.

She was finally ready to make her first appearance to the public. Yet while looking in the mirror for the first time since finishing her transformation, Harley remembered where it all started. The first time she ever met the man that changed her life forever. That first day at Arkham Asylum…

_She was fresh out of school with a doctorate in Criminal Psychology. She was selected from hundreds of applicants and thought it was a dream come true to work with and treat the most infamous criminals in Gotham's history. She had spoken to a lot of people who were in the Asylum, but had been denied access to the one person she wanted to speak to the most: The Joker. For the longest time, she was told that no one outside of council and his own doctors were allowed to speak to who the often referred to as 'the funny man'. Truth was, except for his lawyer the Joker never spoke to anyone who worked at Arkham. He refused to be treated or diagnosed by the staff and after a few years they had given up trying to speak to the funny man at all. Whenever any of the psychiatrists tried to speak with the Joker, he would sit there for hours and say nothing. He had refused to engage even in small talk ever since he was separated from the prisoners for causing trouble and a near riot with the other prisoners. After a lot of arm twisting and even a little bribery to do extra hours for little or no extra pay, she was finally allowed to interview the Joker. _

_When she first walked into the small interview room, the Joker was tied up like an animal. Like Hannibal Lector just without the mouth guard as the whole purpose of being there was to speak. He looked so different without his makeup. His hair has changed from the dyed green to a more natural dirty blonde. It was still curly but hadn't seen a comb or brush for what seemed like weeks. Guards were worried that the funny man might try to use them as a weapon and even try to escape. They were extreme with their treatment of him but it was caution that was created from the funny man's reputation. He was a dangerous man and no one took any chances when moving him from room to room. As she walked into the room, the Joker did something he had never done before: he made a sound. _

_The doctors behind the two way mirror were stunned as the funny man made a whistle like sound that gave the impression that he was impressed with her taste in clothing. It had likely been a very long time since the Joker saw anyone close to her age let alone someone who was wearing a very short skirt with legs like hers. She had done this on purpose, hoping to at least break the ice and see if he was willing to finally speak._

_The joker looked up at her long flowing blonde hair. "Vicki Vale?" _

"_Not quite." She answered. "I'm Dr. Harleen Quinzel." _

"_With those legs I was kind of hoping you were my new nurse." The Joker said with a playful grin. "Like, hello!" _

_Even though showing off her legs was a part of the plan, Harleen couldn't help but blush just a little bit. It was something that wasn't missed by the Joker as he winked. "It's nice to see you're in a talkative mood today." _

"_It was either that or more time with the 700 Club." The funny man replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "You should really do something about the cable plan this place has. Anyone working for Time Warner should really be ashamed of themselves." _

"_I'll make a note of that." Harleen said as she wrote something down. _

"_Something also needs to be done about the food." The Joker added. _

"_Are we doing enough to respect any allergies or food intolerances?" she asked. _

"_Do any of you really give a hoot?" the Joker bluntly asked. _

"_I can't speak for anyone else." Harleen answered honestly. "But I do." _

_The Joker stopped talking and just stared at Dr. Quinzel for a few minutes. Harleen didn't push her patient and waited for him quietly as she had no idea what was going through his crazy, sadistic mind. As she stared back at him with her bright blue eyes, no one outside the room could tell but there was a connection between them, something only Harleen and the Joker could notice. There was a bond that was created that day, one that would never break and Dr. Quinzel would never forget that day for the rest of her life. _

Harleen opened her eyes and she was back in the present day, looking at herself in the mirror. She was ready to bring that chaos back to Gotham City, eager to pillage and bring fear back to the people not seen for a very long time. She looked at herself in the mirror, the creation of the funny man, the disciple of darkness. The person she saw in the mirror was no longer Dr. Harleen Quinzel: she was Harley Quinn.

"I'm ready Mister J." she said to herself in the mirror. "I'm going to make you proud."


End file.
